This invention relates to tote boxes, and more particularly to a handle and construction which is used in single or double ply tote box walls.
Traditionally, containers which are returnable and reusable have been used for transportation, storage, and display of goods in commerce, such as in a manufacturing and/or assembly line environment. One such class of containers, which are manually portable, are commonly referred to as xe2x80x9ctote boxes.xe2x80x9d Tote boxes must be of a sufficiently rigid construction to enable the safe and damage-free transport and storage of the goods which are contained therein. Various tote boxes are designed so as to be stacked or mounted in a nesting relationship for convenient transportation or storage thereof. In order to be stackable, the upper edge of the tote box is typically reinforced with a top rail or rim member which is adapted to receive another tote box stacked thereupon.
A variety of materials are traditionally utilized in the construction of such tote boxes. Such materials may include corrugated paperboard, corrugated plastic sheet, sheet metal, and other such materials. A light weight, yet stackable strength, is desired. Often such wall materials are too thin to support a number of filled tote boxes in a stacked relationship. Therefore, some tote box constructions utilize reinforcing structures, such as reinforced corners. In that way, a lower tote box of a stack can kinetically support the load of a plurality of upper tote boxes having goods therein without deformation. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,295,632 and 5,462,221, assigned to the assignee of this invention, disclose various tote box designs.
Tote boxes are generally manually portable, to be moved around between locations, whether full of goods or empty. For the convenient lifting and handling of the tote box, a handle structure or handhold is typically provided on the tote box. For example, one type of handhold comprises a simple cutout in one or more side walls of the tote box, through which a user can insert their hand for lifting and/or carrying the tote box and its contents. In another design, a plastic handle may be snap fit into the cutout to cover any sharp or rough edges of the cutout and to thereby provide a more comfortable handhold for the user. Furthermore, plastic handles may strengthen the tote box at the handhold to prevent the ripping or tearing of the tote box wall material.
However, existing formed handholds or handles which are fit into the cutouts of tote boxes have some drawbacks. Generally, the handles are made of a molded plastic for ease of manufacturing and low cost. Also, the plastic handholds or handles have been relatively flexible so that they could be inserted easily into the cutouts. However, their flexibility has contributed to their tendency to become dislodged from the tote box. The handles are frequently pulled from the cutouts into which they were inserted when the tote box was filled with goods and being lifted or carried by someone grasping at the handles.
Solutions have been offered for such drawbacks, such as by the tote box handle disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,221, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. However, it is still desirable to improve on handle structures for tote boxes.
Specifically, it is an objective of the invention to provide a tote box handle and overall tote box construction which may incorporate other support structures of the tote box, in addition to the cutout of the side wall, for further strength and durability of the handle.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a tote box handle which can be readily incorporated into an existing tote box design without significant redesign of the tote box.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a tote box with a handle which is easily and economically manufactured.
It is a further objective of the present invention to reduce the amount of time and expense required to assemble a tote box with such a handle structure.
These objectives, and other objectives, will become more readily apparent from the invention as described in greater detail hereinbelow.
In accordance with the present invention, a tote box is provided which comprises a box structure having a bottom and upstanding side walls. Each of the side walls define upper edges which form a top edge of the box structure. An aperture is formed in at least one of the side walls of the box structure. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a handle is positioned to engage the aperture in the sidewall to form a handle for the box structure. A protruding structure extends from the portion of the flange proximate to the top edge.
The tote box further comprises a top rail which extends around the top edges of the box structure. The top rail defines an open channel which is formed between a pair of channel walls. The channel is positioned over the top edge, and the protruding structure is configured to engage the top rail, and to specifically engage a channel wall of the top rail, to secure the handle in the top rail, secure the top rail to the tote box, and to the secure the handle to the box structure. In one embodiment, an inwardly extending hook on a bottom edge of at least one of the channel walls is engaged by the protruding structure for securing the handle and the box structure with the top rail or other structure extending around the top edge of the tote box. In another embodiment, multiple protruding structures might be utilized to engage the top rail.
The protruding structure might take various suitable forms. For example, in one embodiment, the protruding structure includes a tongue which is angled from a flange of the handle in order to engage the top rail. In another embodiment, the protruding structure includes an indent which extends toward one of the channel walls to engage that channel wall. In still another embodiment, ribs are utilized. First and second flanges in one embodiment extend substantially around t he handle and the aperture, to stabilize the handle within the aperture and further strengthen the handle.
In one embodiment, the protruding structure(s), may be formed integrally with the handle. For example, the handle may include a flange and the protruding structure may extend from the handle. Alternatively, the protruding structure(s) may be a separate piece from the handle, and they may be coupled or otherwise secured together in the completed assembly by suitable means.
In that way, the present invention provides a tote box construction and a handle which is easily and economically manufactured, may be readily assembled, and is configured to stay within the aperture and prevent the handle from being pulled out when the tote box is utilized and carried. Furthermore, the present invention may be readily incorporated into existing tote boxes. Still further, the interaction of the handle with the top rail or other edge structure provides further strength and durability for the tote box and for the handle. Further details of the disclosed possible embodiments of the invention are set forth hereinbelow.